Page 19 of Dominate
Her tone tells me she’s referring to the attack, so my body instantly tenses. “It was unnerving at first, but having everyone here helped me forget. The security company is coming tomorrow to see what we can do to make my place more secure. I refuse to let a couple of thugs scare me out of my own home.”
“That’s good, Gareth. Really good.”
The line goes quiet for a few seconds, and I exhale with relief over how easy this is for us. Discussing the details of each other’s lives with no limits. No boundaries. It’s nice. I’ve lived my life privately for so long, but having someone to talk to about menial things feels better than I ever imagined.
“So, can I talk to you about something? Or do you need to get back to Sophia?” I ask, steeling myself to man up and do what I intended to do with this call.
“I can talk,” she replies, and I hear the background noise soften as she walks away for some privacy.
“Okay. Well, I know you got hit hard with the Harris crazy over lunch at your house the other day, and I’m sorry you were stuck in the middle of that. I’m also sure the stress of the hospital probably makes you want to stay as far away from my family as possible, so I understand if you want to say no. But it sounds like Vi is actually going to go through with her wake-wedding idea. She’s even picked a resort in the Cape Verde islands already.”
“That’s awesome!” Sloan replies politely. “I think it will be really good for your family.”
“I want you there, Sloan,” I blurt out.
“What?”
“I want you to be my date at my sister’s wedding.” My chest feels tight. I’m more nervous now than I was the time I propositioned her to dominate me.
“Gareth—” She begins to argue but I cut her off.
“I’ve given this some thought, and this is the more I told you I want that night outside your house. I know you have Sophia and that being a mum takes up a large part of your life, but you need time for yourself as well. And in regard to us, nothing has changed for me. I still want more. A lot more.”
Silence descends on the other end of the line, and I can feel my heart sinking from her lack of response.
“Has something changed for you?” I ask, holding my breath high in my chest.
Sloan clears her throat and replies softly, “No.”
“Thank fuck,” I exhale, relief blanketing my entire body. “So, will you come with me?”
“When are you going?” she asks timidly, like she is actually considering it.
“In a few weeks. I don’t know if Sophia will be with her dad. Or perhaps you want to bring her along? I’m sure she’d love the beach, but I don’t know how she’d feel attending a wake. We could figure something out.”
Sloan laughs softly. “Sophia will be in school, Gareth.”
“Right,” I reply quickly and shake my head like a moron. “So then, if we can work out the timing so you don’t miss your time with her, will you come?”
“I need to think about it,” she replies slowly, then rushes out, “It sounds lovely. But there’s one thing I should know before I contemplate this further…Where are the Cape Verde islands?”
I laugh and we continue talking lightly for another thirty minutes. It feels good. Even though she hasn’t agreed to come along yet, she’s not saying no. That’s a step in the right direction.
ACOUPLE OF DAYS AFTERChristmas, reports started circulating about an attack at the Harris Estate in Astbury that included an assault on Gareth Harris and a “female companion.” Suddenly, this typically private Manchester United defender was all over the news. There were photos of Gareth’s home taken from helicopters, including images of him coming in and out of his house. For two weeks straight, sports reporters remarked on when Gareth would return from his injury as they showed shots of him standing on the sidelines at games and practice. I never paid attention to how much media coverage he receives. Now that I am, I’m not sure I like what I see.
As a result of the extra publicity, Gareth’s agent advised us to stay apart for a few weeks to make sure the “female companion” doesn’t get a name and face. I am more than okay with it, especially since I am still recovering from everything that happened. Although my bruise has faded, it weighs heavily on my mind that the police still haven’t found who attacked us.
Gareth spent an insane amount of money on a high-level security system at his home and insisted on installing the same at mine. Normally, I’m all “independent woman, hear me roar,” but I couldn’t object after being attacked. Certainly not when I have Sophia to consider.
The entire situation got me thinking,Is this really the kind of life I want to drag my daughter in to?I was so close to having my name and my personal life splashed all over the press. Sophia’s face could have ended up in the papers as well. How would Callum handle that? Would he accept it? Could it complicate our custody agreement? There is so much for me to consider because my life is not my own. The control I experienced in Gareth’s home during our previous agreement was a ruse. An escape from reality. We were playing make-believe, and I realise that time is over now that so much has happened.
I’ve just settled Sophia into bed after picking her up from the Lake District when my phone rings on my nightstand.
Despite the anxiety I have over Gareth’s newfound spotlight these days, I’ve grown quite accustomed to the evening phone calls we’ve been having since his manager told us to stay apart two and a half weeks ago. Our chats have been very surface level, but there’s something nice about having someone to talk to as I get ready for bed.
“Hiya,” Gareth’s deep voice husks into the line.
“Hey,” I reply, biting my lip and wincing at the breathy tone of my voice.
